A Date with the Irish Surgeon - Chapter 1

Dr. Lorcan Connor walked into the doctor's lounge to a scene of jubilation, as Drs. Cora Campbell and Chloe Bailey hugged and jumped up and down, while Dr. Indra Hughes looked on, laughing. But while the wild embrace seemed completely natural, Lorcan knew there was something forced about Indra's reaction.

Sure, she appeared happy, but the smile didn't reach her dark, usually twinkling eyes. And when she said goodbye to the others and turned away, the laughter slid right off her face, leaving it pensive.

It was not a normal expression for the physiatrist. She was habitually pleasant to everyone, even Lorcan, who'd be the first to admit he was standoffish. Indra typically wore a wide, sunny smile, which elevated her looks from pretty to beautiful.

The habit of tossing that grin about had turned many heads, but Indra just politely dodged all interest. She was, Lorcan thought as he poured a much-needed cuppa, his polar opposite in almost every way.

While she was short, dark, curvy and often mistakenly thought to be from India—she was actually Guyanese British—he was tall, slim and pale, befitting his Irish roots. Indra was cheery and approachable, while Lorcan was introverted and had the reputation of being dour.

Turning, he found her almost abreast of him, and as their gazes met, she smiled and nodded, but it was too late. He'd already seen the disappointment in her eyes.

She passed before he could react and was out the door seconds later.

Curious now, Lorcan chose a table close to where the other two doctors were. He was rewarded when Chloe said, "Lorcan, did you hear? We've been chosen for the Kensington Project. Come out and celebrate with us this evening."

"Congratulations," he said, but didn't take them up on the offer—and neither of them seemed surprised or insisted. He rarely socialized with people from work, feeling it wise to keep business and pleasure separate.

He was more concerned with how Indra felt about having been passed over. Being sent to hospitals around the world to share the newest advances made at the Royal Kensington Hospital was a feather in any doctor's cap. Lorcan had gone to Chennai, India, the year before, and it had been an eye-opening journey. Indra probably had set her heart on being chosen and was upset.

Well, hopefully she didn't take the setback as an indication she wasn't good enough. Having worked closely with her for almost a year, researching new treatments, surgeries and therapies for patients with spinal injuries, Lorcan knew she was excellent at her job. The last thing he wanted was for her to decide she'd run the course of her career at RKH and move somewhere else.

He was used to her and hated the thought of learning to work with someone new.

Yeah, that's the only reason I want her to stay around.

*

Indra put the entire Kensington Project matter to the back of her mind until the end of her shift, when it swam up to the surface again. Oh, yes, she was disappointed, but not for the reason most people would suspect.

She'd seen it as a paid two-month break from the crazy her life had become.

As she walked down the alleyway between hospital buildings toward the parking area, she tried to decide what to do next, since her first hopeful plan had gone kaboom. She had to do something, and quick. Her temper was reaching boiling point.

Still pondering, she came out into the somewhat chilly parking lot to find a man standing in her way. For a quick second, noting the bronze-toned skin and wide smile, she thought it was her cousin Dharma, but quickly realized it wasn't and started to skirt around him.

He put up his hands, his smile widening. "Indra?"

She paused. "Yes?"

"Ahh, finally. Right this way."

Taking a small step back, she said, "Do I know you?"

"I'm Julian. Your mum told you about me, yeah? I'm taking you to dinner."

"No, you're not," she replied, her voice sharp enough to cut.

His smile didn't fade in the slightest. "Don't give me the evil eye, girl. Look." He pointed behind him. "I brought the Bentley."

She didn't spare the car more than a glance. "Well, you better move it. It's blocking the entrance."

He hooted. "Nobody'll mess with a Bentley. But come on, it's getting late."

Indra glared at him. She'd hoped he'd want to move the car so she could nip back into the hospital, but that hadn't worked. Now all her frustration bubbled to the surface, bringing with it the sort of rage that boded no one any good.

"I don't know you, so leave me alone."

Now his smile fell away, replaced with a narrow-eyed, assessing look. Indra's heart raced, and anger darkened the edges of her vision.

She wanted to scream at him, but bit the words back, holding on to her temper by a hair.

His lip curled. "Nah. Your mum said you're looking for a man, and here I am."

He stepped forward, his hand out as though to grab hers, and Indra jumped back. Letting her bag slide down her arm, she was ready to bash him with it when she slammed into something behind her and a pair of masculine arms banded around her waist to keep her upright.

"Everything alright here?"

Lorcan Connor's voice snapped her out of her instinctive fight response, and without thought, Indra turned in the neurosurgeon's arms to twine hers around his neck.

"There you are," she said, hoping he'd follow her lead. "I thought you'd never come out."

Icy blue eyes looked down into hers for a moment that seemed to stretch for an eternity, but couldn't have been more than a few seconds.

"Well, here I am."

She tugged at his nape, expecting him to resist, but instead, his head came down easily and his lips met hers, as though it were the most natural thing in the world.

And, heaven help her, but the miserable so-and-so could kiss!